Jobless rise slows for young

But in Breckland the number of 18 to 24 year old Jobseeker allowance claimants rose by five in March to 835. It is the fourth month the district’s 18-24 jobless rate has topped the national rate. Its all-ages rate remains one per cent below the national one at 3.1 per cent, or 2,509 claimants, down 27.

Meanwhile, Forest Heath has seen 18-24 claimants drop by 10 from 300 in February, a rate of 4.7 per cent and 70 more than March 2011. The district’s overall claimant figure is down 12 at 1,019, which is 119 more than March 2011.

St Edmundsbury and Mid Suffolk’s 18-24 figures were the same as February: 515 and 415, respectively. Levels for all claimants rose with St Edmundsbury up nine to 1,774 and Mid Suffolk up 39 to 1,308.